It’s been three weeks since golf courses in Saskatchewan have been allowed to open and the early report card has the industry passing with flying colours.
“The golfers have adapted very well and that’s only arriving 10 minutes before their tee time, not touching the flag, not having ball washers, not having the rakes on the course, and the golfers have adapted amazingly, they are very good, and just want to be out there and enjoy themselves,” says Mike Libke, Saskatoon manager of special-use facilities.
Ron Erikson, the general manager at The Willows, agrees the last three weeks have gone “very well”.
“The adherence to the protocol, the acceptance of some of the things that were different from years gone by to the ‘COVID‘ golf season have gone over very well.”
But golfers would like to see some changes.
“Probably the first restriction change that we would like to see, the tee-time interval, from 12 minutes to 10, and even to eight minutes to be quite honest. I think, if anything, what has been shown or derived from the results is that we can handle it,” Erikson says.
There is signage everywhere on the courses to keep the golfers in line and remind them of the new way things are done now.
Next up, courses will be allowing golfers indoors during Phase 3 of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan on June 8.
“Our managers are busy trying to get it set up for our facilities and getting it adapted so that when we open the doors on Monday, it’s the same feeling of safety, and the same feeling of responsibility to the public and our staff,” Libke said.